Fireproof door.



J. A. WHEELER.

FIREPROOF DOOR APPLICATION FILED FEB.1O,19124 RENEWED MAY 29, 1914.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

THE N DRRIS PETERS Co.. PHOTO-LITHri, WASHVND run I] c JAMES A. WHEELER, OF SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM T. ELKINTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIREPBOOF DOOR.

iaaiao.

Application filed February 10, 1912, Serial No. 676,817.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. WVHEELER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the county of Somerset, in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fireproof doors of that class which are constructed of an external casing of artificial lumber inclosing metallic elements, and it has for its ob ject to provide a simple and improved fireproof door of this character whlch will be simple and inexpensive in construction,

which will more effectively provide an internal air space extending throughout the area of the door, and which will furthermore possess advantages in point of lightness, strength, effectiveness and general efficiency.

- In the drawings-Figure 1 is a face view of the door embodying my improvements, partly broken away to show the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal cross-section, on the line 02-00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical cross-section, on the line yy, Fig. 1. Fig. i is a detail vertical cross-section, on the line zz, Fig. 1. Flg. 5 is a detail cross-section, showing the employment of a wear strip or plate at the edge of the door.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a frame which extends around the edge portion of the door, this frame being square or rectangular so that it follows the outline of the door and its outer surface constitutes the surrounding edge portion thereof. The frame 1 is constructed of bars or strips formed of a rigid non-metallic composition of low heat conductivity and undeforrnable by heat, and I prefer to use for this purpose the composition which is commercially known as alignum and which is constituted by a suitable filler including asbestos and combined with a fireproof binder to produce a plastic substance which is molded into shape and compressed and dr ed 1n a rigid structure. The bars or strips constituting the main frame 1 are sultably secured together so that the frame is a rigid structure inclosing a central area or space.

2-2 designate the sides of the door, which are constituted by plates or sheets of fire- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.. Renewed May 29, 1914. Serial No. 841,962.

proof material corresponding to the fireproof characteristics of the main frame 1 and likewise formed of a rigid non-metallic composition undeformable by heat, these sheets being respectively secured to the outer side faces of the frame 1 in any suitable manner, preferably by means of screws, as at 3, having their heads in countersunk recesses in the sheets 2 so that the plane surface of the latter is not impaired. The side sheets 2, when secured in connection with the main frame 1, entirely inclose the central area or space within the door, which constitutes an air chamber, as at 4, within the area surrounded by the edge frame 1, whereby the fireproof quality of the door is enhanced, and the side sheets 22 and the main frame 1 conjointly form an external casing which entirely incloses the interior metallic elements.

Within the interior area or space 4, which is surrounded by the main frame 1 and inclosed by the side sheets 2, is arranged a corrugated sheet of metal, 5, which preferably occupies both the transverse and vertical extent of said area or space, and the corrugations of said sheet correspond in depth to the space between the side sheets 2, whereby the apex of the projecting ribs formed by said corrugations bear against the opposite inner faces of the respective side sheets 2-2, as shown at 6. The corrugated metal sheet 5 thus forms an inner metallic core for the door structure, but does not impair the open area of the air chamber 4;, and it also constitutes an intetherefore parallel to the inner faces of the opposite strips of the main frame 1 and are j preferably secured thereto in any suitable manner, for instance by means of screws, as at 8, which securlng means operates to more effectively maintain the normal status of the corrugated metal sheet 5 and also to brace the edge frame 1 by its connection with the metallic core 5. Additional securing and bracing means are preferably provided, and

distributed in series throughout the area of 11'...

the side sheets 2 and the interior area or space 1, whereby said side sheets will be braced independently of the corrugated metal sheet 5 and also secured against warping or variation in normal position. Such means may be of any suitable or adapted construction, but I preferably .employ tubular sockets, as at 9, extending between the side sheets 2, and acting as spreaders or braces for spacing said side sheets. These sockets 9 are preferably arranged at points intersecting the apex of the corrugations of the metal plate 5, with one end bearing against the inner face of the side sheet 2 and the other end conforming to and bearing against the angle formed by said apex, and said sockets are provided with threaded bores, as at 10, at their opposite ends, which register with openings, 11, in the side sheets 2 and an opening, 12, in the apex portion of the corrugation of the metal sheet 5, which threaded bores receive screws, as at 1 1, the heads of which are preferably accommooated in countersunk recesses in the exterior surfaces of the side sheets 2 so that the plane surface of the latter is not impaired. The sockets 9 and securing screws 14 thus conjointly operate as Spreaders or spacers between the side sheets 2 and as means for securing and maintaining the spaced relative position of said side sheets against warping or strain.

The outer faces of the side sheets 2 are suitably finished, in imitation of grained Woodor as otherwise desired, and an ornamental molding, as at 15, may be secured to said surfaces, by means of screws, as at 16, or otherwise, to impart any desired .panel effect or other ornamental characteristics to the door surface.-

In addition to the securing means hereinabove described, the adjoining faces of the main frame 1 and the side sheets 2 are preferably secured by a suitable adhesive, as at 17, extending over the opposing surfaces.

In providing the hinges for the improved door of the construction herein described, the outer face of the strip of the main frame 1 and the edge of the side sheet 2 are recessed, as at 18, to accommodate the hinge plate, 19, so that the latter will be flush with the edge of the door in the usual manner,

and in the preferred hinge construction a reinforcing plate, 20, is provided at the inner face of the strip of the main frame 1 and secured thereto by screws, as at 21, or

in any other suitable manner, and the screws, 22, which secure the hinge plate 19 pass through the strip of the main frame 1 and through said reinforcing plate 20.

In the preferred construction for securing the lock to the improved door, the strip of the main frame 1 is provided with a slot, as at 23, to accommodate the lock, 24, and its outer face is recessed, as at 25, at said slot,

to accommodate the face flange, 26, of the lock, whereby said flange will be flush with the door edge, and the lock is secured in position by screws, as at 27, passing through said flange 26 and into the strip of the main frame 1.

The face plates for the lock and knob attachments are mounted against the outer surfaces of the side sheets 2, and in the preferred construction are secured by interlocking transverse securing means constituted by tubular sockets, 28, passing across the interior space 1 and having their ends in perforations, 29, in the respective side sheets 2, these sockets being provided with threaded bores, 30, at their opposite ends, which receive the screws, 31, by which the face plates, 32, are secured in position.

Under some circumstances of construction, I prefer to protect the outer edge of the main frame 1 by a metallic reinforcing or wear strip, as at 33, which consists of a relatively thin metal plate extending across the strip of the main frame 1 and the edges of the side sheets 2 and secured in position by means of screws, 34, entering the strips of the main frame 1. These edge plates 33 preferably have a convex inner surface, as at 35, the adjoining surfaces of the strips of the main frame 1 and the edges of the side sheets 2 being concaved to conform thereto, whereby the external side edges of the plate 33 are reduced to a minimum and the side faces of the door edges do not show an ex posure to any degree of the metallic edge wear strip 33, and under some circumstances of construction said strip 33 may be provided at its inner face with projecting flanges, as at 36, which enter corresponding recesses or grooves in the fireproof material of which the external casing of the door is constructed.

The advantages of my improved door will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. The improved construction provides a very simple and light door structure which is thoroughly braced against any strains or conditions of use, which can be easily and economically manufactured, and which will possess in maximum degree all the desired fireproof characteristics and strength,it being understood that under action of extreme heat the inclosed metallic core will be effectively protected against deformation, because of the surrounding fireproof material which is rigid and non-metallic and undeformable by heat, and that therefore the door structure is maintained and will not break down under the action of heat.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the detail construction and arrangement of parts as herein shown and described, as it is manifest that variations and modifications therein may be resorted 13 to, in the adaptation of my invention to varying conditions of use, Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and improvements. I therefore reserve the right to all such modifications and variations as properly fall Within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

An improved fireproof door, comprising an external casing constituted by bars forming a rigid main edge frame surrounding a central area or space and rigid side plates secured to the outer faces of said main frame and extending over and inclosing said central area or space, said edge frame and In testimony whereof I have signed my name in the presence of the subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES A. WHEELER. Witnesses:

Bnssm COSTIGAN, LILLIAN Bmmows.

flames of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratems.

Washington, D. 0. 

